5 very humid and hot miles run at 3pm in the hottest part of the day, but along the beautiful beaches of Ambergis Caye, Belize. It was the only run I got in all week accept for all the running after my kids I did. I actually lost a couple pounds on this vacation. :)

Belize was wonderful just like last time. Looks like I may have a chance to go back again next year, but I'm not going to miss SGM again. I was thinking of you all as you raced. I did get on line long enough to flip through the race times, but have not read any reports yet. I am so excited to read them all. Congrats to you all for your great efforts.

I needed to get in a run this evening to get myself feeling back to normal after our trip. The kids wanted to go to the gym, so I took them and did a TM run. I set in on the hills setting level 4 which went as high as 3.6% incline and changed incline every minute. I did the first 5 miles at 7.5 (8:00) then mile 6 at 8.6 (7:00) and then back to 7.5 through 60 minutes, which put me at 7.68 miles. I then did a cool down walk to finish out the 8th mile. Accept for the one faster mile the whole run felt very easy and my foot felt good but not perfect.

TM hill setting level 4 set at 8.0 (7:30), wanted to go for 1 hour. After mile 4 I was pushing harder than I should have been for an easy run, so I took it off the hill setting and run flat for the last 4.

I decide to try out one of the classes at the gym, so I asked around to find out which one would be a really good work out. I was told to try out the CardioCore class on Tuesday morning at 5:30. I went to the class and it was a pretty good workout, something that would probably benefit me once a week and help mix up my routine a bit. And bonus, I was the only guy in there out of about 30 people. :) If only I had know about these classes back in my single days!

Anyways after class, I did a little extra weight training for areas I didn't think the class hit well, did some extra ab work, did speed intervals on the stairs for 20 minutes, then an easy 8 min mile on the TM for cool down. Overall it was a nice well rounded workout.

I was excited when I rolled out of bed at 5:15 this morning. I was planning on attempting my first speed workout in over 6 months. To keep myself from injury I'm doing all my current running on the TM where I have a bit more cousion and I can keep myself from running too fast. After setting the TM at my standard 1% incline I warmed up with 2 miles at 8:30 then ran 3 one mile repeats with half mile rest intervals. I did the repeats at 6:15 which definitely made me work, but did not kill me. Then I cooled down with 1 easy mile at 8:30. While I can still feel a twinge in my foot I had to significant discomfort. I will pay close attention to how it feels the rest of the day and tomorrow though.

I decide to sign up for a little local 3 mile race for tomorrow, so I wanted to keep it easy tomorrow. It will be interesting to see what my fitness level is since I haven't done much running over the last 6 months. It should give me a good idea on how much work I need to get done between now and Jan when I start my real training. No matter how slow I am, it will be a PR though since I've never raced a 3 mile race. : )

Daytona Fun Run (3 Miles) 00:18:08, Place overall: 4, Place in age division: 4

Easy Miles

Marathon Pace Miles

Threshold Miles

VO2 Max Miles

Crosstraining miles

Total Miles

1.00

0.00

3.00

0.00

0.00

4.00

Today I went to the local 3 mile fun run to test out my foot and my fitness level after about 6 month of little running. It was a nice course run down the parade route right before the parade. We ran one mile downhill then 1 mile back up the same hill then the 3rd mile back down to the finish. I had no idea how I was going to do. We got started and I ran the first mile in 5:50, the second back up the hill in 6:40, and the final back down again in 5:38. My garmin reported the last mile a bit short so I don't know if it was a true 3 miles. Anyways total run was 18:08 so I'll take that considering my current lack of running.

I got 4th overall and 4th in my age group. I had no shot at 1st or 2nd with finishing times of 14:53 and 15:15. I had my sights set on third, but he maintained about a 200 yard gap on me the whole race and I never seemed to close any ground. There is another local race in 2 weeks, a 5K on a much tougher course. I hope to get out there and run around 19:00 if I can get in a little speed work between now and then. My foot only gave me some minimal pain right around the end and my podiatrist was there racing, so I talked to him a bit. He said to come in and have my orthotics adjusted.

This is the same run I tried last Monday and at mile 4 had to take it off the hills setting and go flat. Today I finished all 8 on the hills and felt pretty good doing it. I think I'm still coming down from my short little race on Saturday. It was so fun to race again even if it was only a 3 mile fun run.

I was excited to do my first longish run for the first time since Boston. I got up early and headed to the gym for a 12 mile TM run. I set it on Random Hills level 2 (max incline 2.2%) 7.5 mph (8:00) and got started. As I ran I just kept feeling better and better. It was one of those days were I felt like I could just keep running at that pace for hours. It all felt very easy. My HR never got higher than the low 140s. I guess all the cross training did keep me in decent shape. I wasn't so sure, but after today I'm feeling pretty good about my fitness level as I ramp up my milage to get ready for Boston training. I just hope my foot continues to cooperate.

It's been an incredibly busy Saturday. I had to be to work at 8 and was slammed all morning. I went straight from work to a baptism of a great man in his 50s who has completely changed in life in the last 2 months, an amazing story and transformation. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to help in teaching him and so was asked to give a talk at the baptism. There was a wonderful spirit at the baptism.

I then went straight from the church to the gym and did 30 minutes of stair speed intervals, came home had some lunch, showered, did some chores and now am getting ready to head to a friends house to watch the BYU/TCU game. Go Cougs! Halloween party tonight that I will probably late to. Hopefully my wife won't be too mad, but this is a big game and who would plan a party in the fall without first checking the football schedules????

I scored a new pair of SpeedStars that I needed to break in this morning. I love running in new shoes.

I warmed up with a really easy .25 miles then set the TM to Hills 3.6% max incline, 8.2mph (7:19) and ran for an hour. Finished with a .55 mile cool down for a full 9 miles. The run felt great! I'm hoping to be able to do it at 9.0 for an hour on the same hill setting by Jan 1.

I've settled into this Tues morning routine with the CardioCore class followed by lower body weights, ab work, 20 min stair speed intervals, then 1 mile cool down run on the TM, and I like it. It gives me a day that is completely different from the norm.

Nice easy day today. I was suprised how good my legs felt after yesterday's mile repeats and considered doning something harder... for about 3 seconds, and then decided to keep with the easy workout plan.

Full body weights and abs

30 minutes elliptical.

I need more ideas about a costume for my 5k on Sat. So far on the forum, I've only got the idea to dress as a girl. I'm just not sure if I'm in touch with my femanine side enough to go there.

I've been looking for a new pair of shoes with more cushion for my longer runs. I settled on the Addidas Bostons, mostly cause I liked the name. :) They also seemed to get good reviews and are not very heavy for a cushioned shoe. I wore them today and I think I like them.

6 very EZ miles on the TM 1% at 8:00. I wanted to keep it easy since I'm racing tomorrow.

What a difference a month makes. After my first full month of running since March, I am 10 lbs lighter, feel nice and lean like a runner again, have more energy, am happier, and life is sweet. I sure hope I'm not jinxing myself, but running sure makes my life better and so do my fellow FRBers.

Havasu Halloween Fun Run (3.1 Miles) 00:19:40, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1

Easy Miles

Marathon Pace Miles

Threshold Miles

VO2 Max Miles

Crosstraining miles

Total Miles

1.00

0.00

3.10

0.00

0.00

4.10

My internet at home has been down since Friday, so I finally snuck in to work this evening to post my race report.

First, thanks for all the suggestions for costumes. I ended up using Paul's suggestion, and not the soccer uniform. I really wanted to run with a cape, so Captain Underpants it was. After a nice warm up mile with some freinds, I stripped off the shirt and sweat pants, revealing the super large whitey tighteys I picked up the night before at K-Mart over my running shorts. Then I put on the red cape I made out of some extra material my wife had laying around. After a few shocked looks, someone finally said, "Captain Underpants!" and everyone seemed to love the look. I had a few people tell me I should sport it at every race. I think I definitely got more cheers than anyone else and as I was approach the finish, my wife said someone said "That is my eye doctor" and the finish line people started yelling through the bull horn, "Go Dr. Underpants!" One lady in our ward was there and she couldn't look at me, but all in all it was fun to let my guard down and be silly.

Anyways, to the race.

After sizing up the group, there was one guy I knew would beat me. He runs for Arizona State. And there was one guy I didn't know that looked like a serious runner sporting his racing flats. Everyone else I was pretty confident I would beat. We took off, and sure enough the young college kid was off like a rocket. I went out easy with the rest of the group and was in the lead until about the half mile mark, when the tall skinny fast looking guy moved past me. Normally I just run my own race and try not to let others paces affect me, but I decided to go with him. The pace was a bit faster than I hoped, but I decided I would stay with him as long as possible.

This course is difficult in that it drops about 400 ft in the first mile then climbs about 100 ft to the turn around, then back down that 100 feet and up the last mile 400ft.

At the 1 mile mark we were at 5:38. I was breathing a bit hard, but hanging on right behind speedy looking dude. We hit the turn around at 9:10 and I was finally settling into a rythm. We came back down to the 2 mile mark with the split at 6:28. I could tell he had backed off the pace just a touch after the turn around and my confidence raised. We ran side by side from the turn around back. When you hit the last mile there is a very steep hill. We moved up side by side. Then it levels out just a little for about 50 yards before the last steep hill. As I approached the hill I decided I was going to surge when we hit the hill. I gave it every thing up that last steep hill and he didn't answer. I had about a 6 second gap. Now I just had to finish out the last 1/3 mile on about a 3% incline without him catching me. I continued to press all out and he never closed the gape. I finished in 19:40 for 2nd place and he finished in 19:46 for third. First place was 16:40.

It was really fun to race a race against another runner instead of the clock. I talked with him afterwards and he lives in Kingman and is coming back in 3 weeks for the Turkey Trot on teh exact same course. I'm looking forward to racing him again and hopefully cutting about 40 seconds off the time to match last years Turkey Trot.

When I get my computer at home up and running I'll post pictures. Just hide your children. They are PG-13.